ENAIRE receives an award in Berlin for its contribution to a European satellite-based air navigation project

ENAIRE, the national air navigation service provider, received an award in Berlin today for its outstanding contribution to a European satellite-based air navigation project. 

José Luis Rodríguez Castro, Director of Systems: “EGNOS is used daily across the airport network through the airspace procedures implemented by ENAIRE” 

This European system, called EGNOS, enhances the performance of the GPS and Galileo constellations, particularly in critical applications such as air navigation. 

As part of this event, held this year on 1–2 October in Berlin, Jean-Marc Piéplu from the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), and Charlotte Neyret, CEO of the European entity providing these satellite services (ESSP), presented the award to Patricia Callejo, Head of ENAIRE’s Satellite Navigation Department. 

José Luis Rodríguez Castro, ENAIRE’s Director of Systems, stated: “It is an honour to receive this recognition from this European organisation for implementing airport approach procedures based on satellite technology. ENAIRE has supported the development of these initiatives from their inception and, in fact, we were the first air navigation service provider to contribute financial resources and the expert knowledge of our engineers to make these initiatives a reality. Today, the EGNOS system is used daily across the national airport network through the airspace procedures implemented by ENAIRE, providing a clear boost to both efficiency and safety”. 

This is a special recognition for ENAIRE, which, together with other European air navigation service providers, contributes to the publication of procedures based on satellite systems. The milestone of publishing the first 1,000 procedures using satellite navigation systems in Europe was achieved in November 2024. 

ENAIRE previously received another award for these types of initiatives at Space Week 2023. 

The event is organised by the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP) and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). 

[Charlotte Neyret (first from left), Patricia Callejo (ENAIRE) and Jean-Marc Piéplu (second from right) at the EGNOS awards ceremony].

About ENAIRE 

ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain. 

As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest. 

ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). 

ENAIRE has received the highest score in Europe on the aviation safety key performance indicator for four years in a row. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.